Surprise Gift
by Maximum Artist17
Summary: Gajeel is not in the Christmas spirit and not even the Fairy Tail Christmas party and gift exchange can help. Could it be the mysterious gift in his pocket for a certain blue-haired bookworm? Set in the modern world (no magic and all the Exceeds are human). One-shot.


To anyone else it was a perfect Christmas night, white snow covered every surface, like a white blanket, lights twinkled and carols could be heard on the winter breeze. It was a very Merry Christmas to all the people of Magnolia, to all except that of one. Gajeel Redfox was not merry, jolly, or for any matter in a very Christmas mood, period.

"It's too God damn cold." Gajeel swore, nuzzling his frozen nose deeper into the folds of his scarf as he stomped thru the snow covered streets and glared daggers at every Christmas decoration on the way.

"Jeez, Mr. Scrooge glare any harder and you're going to set some poor family's tree on fire" a deep voice chuckled next to him. Bright red, irritated eyes turned to glare at the man next to them only causing another chuckle to escape.

"Bite me, Lil." A grin stretch over Lily's dark skin deepening the laugh lines around his eyes and stretching the scar over his left eye as the chuckle turned into a full rumbling laugh. "Nah, you'd taste to damn sour Gajeel."

Gajeel gave another halfhearted glare at the man before turning to head towards the bar Fairy Tail, a string of curses muffled into the folds of his scarf as he stomped down the street. Lily followed close behind humming and singing softly, Little Drummer Boy, under his breath; nodding and wishing a 'Merry Christmas' to anyone they passed.

"Why you in such a foul mood Gajeel? Its Christmas, you should be at least a little less of an ass then you are the rest of the year."

"Screw you."

"What did you forget a present for Levy?" Lily smirked as he watched Gajeel's shoulders go rigid and as another glare was thrown at him. " You did didn't you?"

"NO!" Gajeel barked, as he swung wanting to wipe Lily's smirk off his face. Lily gave another hearty chuckle easily sidestepping out of his rage before grabbing Gajeel in a headlock and ruffling his hair. Ignoring the curses aimed at him as Gajeel struggled against his hold, but the 6'4" ex-marine didn't budge an inch as he began dragging Gajeel towards the flashing neon sign of the rowdiest and wildest bar around, Fairy Tail.

Everyone hollered "Merry Christmas!" as the two men finally entered the bar, as the Fairy Tail's annual Christmas party was in full swing. In Gajeel's honest opinion it looked like some sugar high Christmas elf threw up everywhere, there wasn't a single space that wasn't covered in some form of garland, wreath, or tinsel. It was giving him a headache. He and Lily hung their coats next to the dozens of others as his eyes roamed over the chaos of the bar.

Lily had gone over to the bar to greet the barmaid Mira and her siblings Lisanna and Elfman; Mira greeted him with a smile before handing him a tankard of beer while Lisanna gently shoving a Santa hat on top of his head. On the far end of the bar he saw Cana drinking Wakaba and Macao under the table, dressed in the skimpiest reindeer costume he had ever seen; antlers and red nose included. He shook his head, as he saw Natsu twirling an also very skimpy Santa costume clad Lucy in circles on top of one of the bar's tables. Her shrieks were a mixture of ordering him to but her down and uncontrollable peals of laughter, and with a final twirl they both fell to the floor in a mixture of tangled limbs. With the guild erupting in fresh roar of laughter he finally saw who he was looking for: the residential bookworm Levy McGarden.

She was in between her two lapdogs Jet and Droy as they laughed at the tangled mess that was Natsu and Lucy. Gajeel felt his heart skip a beat, because she never looked more beautiful than she did right now.

Her wavy wild blue hair was sprinkled with silver glitter from the silver ribbon tied in her hair. Levy's eyes were sparkling and practically glowing as laughter rang through her body; beautiful and sweet like bell chimes. But when he saw what she was wearing he practically stopped breathing and a flash of heat sweeped through his body.

She was dressed as a snowflake he reckoned, her costume was a two-piece; the halter-top was sequined silver and blue that stopped just above her toned stomach. The skirt, also sequined, hung tightly to her rounded hips before flaring out to settle just above mid-thigh, eight white pom-poms hung from the silver belt on her waist to complete the look.

Gajeel swallowed thickly, his hand wrapped around her present in his pocket, his fingers rubbing nervously across the chain. He quickly stomped towards the bar and grabbed a tankard of beer and slid onto a bar stool, his eyes never leaving Levy's form. Licking his lips Gajeel brought the tankard to his lips, knowing he was going to need some liquid courage tonight. "You know instead of watching her like some stalker, you should go and wish her a Merry Christmas instead." Gajeel nearly spat out his drink across the bar as he turned, sputtering, to face the knowing smirk across Lily's face.

"Shaddup, Lil!" Gajeel gaped, fighting down the blush that was burning the tips of his ears. He growled as he only watch Lily's smirk grow even wider.

Lily only shook his head as he leaned against the bar next to Gajeel, his muscles bulging in his arms underneath the thin material of his shirt. "Ah, I'm just messing with you Gajeel, but you know you make it to damn easy sometimes." Gajeel swore into his tankard as he glanced at Levy out of the corner of his eye. She was now in the middle of the dance floor in the center of the bar, right in front of the twelve foot decorated to the teeth Christmas tree, twirling around between Vjeeter, Max, and Gray. He bit the inside of his cheek as Gray grabbed her waist before tossing her into the air with a squeal and catching her again, jealously knotting his gut.

"Go talk to her you big oaf." Lily cuffed him upside the head, but before he could say anything else he was dragged to the dance floor by Natu's little brother Happy and his daughter Charle.

Gajeel let a small smile grace his face, as he watched his friend bent awkwardly at the waist, completely at the mercy of the two eight year-olds at his feet. He stayed where he was in his lonely corner of the bar, Mira the occasional visitor to refill his beer but that was it. Soon everyone was gathering around the tree for the main event of the night: the gift exchange. His gripped tightened around the gift in his pocket, the chain biting into his skin but still he sat unmoving from his seat at the bar.

He could only watch as present after present was opened and wrapping paper drifted in the air like brightly colored snow. His eyes never leaving Levy as she laughed and smiled graciously, thanking everyone for her gifts: several gift cards for Barnes and Nobles and several brand new books. The present seemed to pulse against his palm, taunting him: "Give it to her."Pulse. "Come on."Pulse. "Coward."

Gajeel was ashamed of himself, he couldn't give a damn present to the girl he liked, maybe even loved because he was scared. He'd been through hell on the streets and in the gangs before Fairy Tail, but that was nothing compared to this. He gulped down the last of his drink before slamming the tankard down and sneaking towards the door, yanking his scarf and coat from their hooks. His hasty exit gone unnoticed to everyone but one, her caramel eyes followed his every move before quickly she grabbed her coat and followed him into the night.

The snow was falling heavier and the streets were mostly empty now except for the occasional shopper rushing home with the last of their gifts for their snot-nosed brats. Anger and shame pulsed through his veins but the present in his pocket pulsed hotter than hellfire. "I'm really pathetic, couldn't even give her one present."

"Give who a present."

"Holy shi-!" Gajeel swore, as he spun around only to slip on a patch of ice that sent him flat on his ass, his skull kissing the concrete. "God damn son-of-a-bitch!" He groaned clutching his head as he felt a bump begin to form beneath his fingertips, but froze when another set of fingers began to tenderly rub across the bump. Small tiny fingers connected to small tiny hands that could only belong to one person.

"Are you ok Gajeel? I'm sorry for frightening you, that's quiet the bump there." Levy whispered, "Oh I'm so sorry." Gajeel stayed frozen under her touch, his throat had suddenly gone dry as a whole new heat swept through his body and it was making him tremble. With gentle but firm hands Levy helped him up and steered him away from the ice. He kept his eyes glued to the ground as he brushed the snow from his clothes but he gave a glance as he watched her bend over and pick something up. Curiosity began to bubble through his nervousness as he watched her tuck whatever it was she picked up behind her back as she turned back to face him.

"Why'd you leave so early Gajeel?" Caramel eyes turned up to him, lashes dotted with snowflakes and rosy cheeks, making his heart skip a beat. Damnit! Didn't she know how cute she looked right now and how weak he was against her? He opened his mouth only to have it close again, his words were stuck in his throat and he felt like a damn moron. "Gajeel?"

"Uh… I um just wanted to go, that's all." He finally mumbled his head still down as he rubbed at the goose egg that was beginning to throb in time with the gift in his pocket. "What are ya doin here Shortie?"

"Well you kind of left in the middle of the gift exchange so I had to follow you?" She murmured, a bright blush flooded her cheeks as she began to shift from foot to foot.

His curiosity was now in full bloom as he watched her fidget, looking about as nervous as he had been just moments ago. Again he tried to peek over her shoulder but failed to see what she was hiding from him.

"Why'd ya have to follow me?" he asked, his eyes still trying to see what was hidden from his sight, his focus entirely on trying to see what was behind her back. He was so focused he almost didn't catch what she said next.

"I had to follow you to give you your gift." She mumbled, before thrusting a box wrapped in bright green wrapping paper and a deep red satin ribbon. "M-m-merry Christmas, Gajeel."

If any one had been there, they would have watched Gajeel go cross-eyed as he tried to focus on the parcel that was now in front of him. He could only gape as he stared at the gift and the blushing girl who held it. 'She's giving me a present...' Gajeel felt his ears begin to burn with a fiery blush as he swallowed thickly, not knowing what to say. Unfortunately, Levy took his silence the wrong way.

"I mean if you don't like it y-you can always take it back. I d-didn't r-really know what to give you so I kind of had to wing it, I'm sorry but h-here. P-please accept it." Levy felt like she was going to cry, she felt her face turning an impossible shade of red as she duck her head down letting her sky blue locks to hide her blush. 'He's not taking it. Oh, I should've just asked Lily to give it to him.' She thought as she felt tears begin to form underneath her lids.

"Shrimp…"

Levy froze as she felt calloused fingers brush against her cheek as an equally rough palm cupped her cheek. All functional thought left her as her eyes met with the ruby orbs of Gajeel that burned with something that both thrilled and terrified her. Her heart seemed to stop as she realized those eyes were getting closer and a shiver of anticipation went through her. Levy's heart nearly leaped out of her chest as warm lips were pressed to her forehead, the warmth spread throughout her body and it shimmered in the pit of her stomach. "Wha-?"

"Thank you, Levy." Gajeel whispered, his voice rough and raw with some emotion neither of them understood. "I have something for ya too…"

Gajeel's heart was thundering against his ribs as he slowly pulled Levy's gift from his pocket. Gently as if she was made of glass he took his gift from Levy's hands before placing her's in the palm of her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't wrap it up for ya, Shortstuff."

Levy could only stare in awe at the necklace that now lay across her palm. It was warm from being in Gajeel's pocket and it shimmered as the Christmas lights flashed across it surface. She ran her fingers across the delicate chain and followed it until it met with the small silver heart the size of her thumbnail. But what really caught her attention was the engraved dragon inlaid with gold in its center with a tiny ruby in its chest.

"Oh my God its beautiful Gajeel." Levy whispered, tracing a finger across the dragon before circling it's ruby heart. "Thank you."

Her smile was the most beautiful thing had ever seen in his life and it sparked a fresh wave of heat through his body. He felt a smile of his own grace his mouth as he watch her quickly place the necklace around her neck. "I'm glad you like it Shrimp."

Levy gave him a half-hearted glare at the nickname before an almost not so innocent smile crossed her lips. "Aren't you going to open yours Gajeel?"

"Hmm?" He looked at the brightly wrapped package in his hands before glancing at the girl in front of him and noticing the slight shivers she tried to hide. The snow was coming down even harder and by the end of the night there'd probably be a good few feet of snow on the ground and the temperature was still dropping. A wicked grin crossed his features as he turned to the shivering bookworm in front of him. "How bout we open this at my place over a cup of hot chocolate, Shrimp?"

He watched her cheeks flush a rosy shade of pink before a shy smile graced her mouth. " That sounds wonderful Gajeel."

"Gihee, well lets go Shortstack!"


End file.
